title: A BTB domain-containing gene is upregulated by immune challenge.
abstract: 20-Hydroxyecdysone (20E) is an important hormone that regulates the development of insects. Although previous evidence revealed that 20E promotes innate immunity in insects, the mechanism involved is still unclear. In this study, the HaBBP gene from Helicoverpa armigera is cloned, which contains BTB (broad-complex, tramtrack, and bric-a-brac), a BACK (BTB and carboxyl-terminus kelch repeats), and PHR (PAM, highwire, and RPM) domains. RT-PCR analysis of HaBBP and western blot analysis of HaBBP show that the mRNA and protein level are higher in the fat body and hemocytes during the molting and metamorphic stages compared with the feeding stage. HaBBP was upregulated by 20E in hemocytes. Knockdown of the 20E receptor EcR-B1 and the heterodimeric partner ultraspiracle protein USP1 in an epidermal cell line (HaEpi) blocked the transcription of HaBBP. HaBBP is distributed in granulocytes and plasmatocytes. Immune stimulation by Escherichia coli caused the upregulation of HaBBP in both hemocytes and fat body. Thus, HaBBP is regulated by the 20E signaling pathway, and is likely involved in the insect innate immunity.
authors.affiliation: Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Animal Cells and Developmental Biology, School of Life Science, Shandong University, Jinan, China.
authors.forename: Gang
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Peng-Cheng
authors.initials: PC
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Jin-Xing
authors.initials: JX
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Xiao-Fan
authors.initials: XF
authors.lastname: Zhao
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D001483:Base Sequence; D015153:Blotting, Western; D002460:Cell Line; D018076:DNA, Complementary / Q000302:isolation & purification; D004441:Ecdysterone / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism; D004926:Escherichia coli / Q000276:immunology; D005216:Fat Body / Q000378:metabolism; D018507:Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental; D055785:Gene Knockdown Techniques; D006098:Granulocytes / Q000378:metabolism; D006434:Hemocytes / Q000378:metabolism; D019476:Insect Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism; D008675:Metamorphosis, Biological; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009036:Moths / Q000254:growth & development / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism; D017434:Protein Structure, Tertiary; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D011987:Receptors, Steroid / Q000378:metabolism*; D012097:Repressor Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D015398:Signal Transduction; D014157:Transcription Factors / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism; D015854:Up-Regulation
chemical_list: D018076:DNA, Complementary; D019476:Insect Proteins; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D011987:Receptors, Steroid; D012097:Repressor Proteins; D014157:Transcription Factors; C034808:ecdysteroid receptor; D004441:Ecdysterone